bloated

bloated

A man with a bloated face looks into a mirror.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Swollen or puffed up: "bloated" describes something that is abnormally expanded or distended, often due to fluid, gas, or overeating.
    • Excessively large or wealthy: In a figurative sense, "bloated" refers to something that is overgrown, overfilled, or overly inflated, especially in terms of size, cost, or pride.
Usage Examples

  • Physical swelling:

    • After eating a large meal, he felt bloated and uncomfortable. (His stomach was distended from overeating.)
    • The dead fish floated on the water, its body bloated from decay. (The fish's body was swollen with gas.)

  • Figurative excess:

    • The company's bloated bureaucracy made it slow to adapt. (The bureaucracy was excessively large and inefficient.)
    • He had a bloated sense of his own importance. (He was overly proud or self-important.)
Advanced Usage

  • "bloated with pride": filled with excessive arrogance or self-importance.

    • The politician was bloated with pride after winning the election. (He became pompous and conceited.)

  • "bloated armament": an excessive or overstocked supply of weapons.

    • The nation's bloated armament drained its economy. (The military had too many weapons, causing financial strain.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Bloat (verb): to become swollen or puffed up.

    • The stomach may bloat after eating too much salt. (It expands due to fluid retention.)

  • Bloating (noun): the condition of being swollen or distended.

    • Bloating is a common symptom of digestive issues. (A feeling of abdominal fullness.)
Synonyms
  • Swollen: enlarged or distended, often due to injury or illness.
  • Puffed up: inflated, especially with air or pride.
  • Distended: stretched or swollen beyond normal size.
  • Overinflated: excessively large or exaggerated.
Related Idioms

  • Bloat the system: to make a process or organization unnecessarily large or inefficient.

    • New regulations will only bloat the system further. (Add more complexity and waste.)

  • Bloat one's ego: to make someone excessively proud or arrogant.

    • Constant praise can bloat a child's ego. (Inflate their self-esteem to an unhealthy level.)